Al Qaeda in Its Own Words

Despite the frequent appearances of Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri on television screens, Al Qaeda remains an elusive entity. To reveal its inner workings, the author and his collaborators have collected and annotated key texts of the major figures from whom the movement has drawn its beliefs and direction.

Substantial interpretive introductions to each leader's work and extensive critical commentary provide unparalleled access to the intellectual and doctrinal context of Al Qaeda in which these radical ideas have taken shape.By viewing Al Qaeda from within, this indispensable volume reveals the terrorist network's insidious role in the global web culture of today and the full dimensions of its frightening threat to world stability and security.